In the military-tactical sector, Picatinny-rails, according to MIL-Std-1913, have prevailed as standardized interface for the mounting of scopes, red dot sights and lamps on firearms. But also for the mounting of accessory devices onto helmets, belts and the like, such rails are used for. Also in the sector of hunting rifles, Picatinny-rails are mounted and used.
For the mounting of accessory devices onto Picatinny-rails different clamping systems are known. Mounting systems, which are removed from the Picatinny-rail rarely, are clamped by means of clamping jaw and nut, depending on the type, and also by means of a clamping jaw and screw. These systems are convenient to handle, solid and inexpensive. However they have the disadvantage that a tool is needed.
Mounting systems, which are often attached and detached, such as they are for example used in the military-tactical sector, are mostly equipped with a lever system.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,721 B2 a mounting device is described, which is handled by means of a lever. A safety against unintentional opening of the lever does not exist. A handling of the mounting device by means of a cheaper nut is not described.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,904 B2 a mounting device, which is detachable by an adjusting lever, for mounting a device with quick-detachable connection onto a support member is described.
This mounting device describes a lever with adjustable gripping force. A safety against unintentional opening does not exist. With its clamping area the lever scrapes on the Picatinny-rail when being used and thus can damage the rail.
In the US-application 2006/0207156 A1 a rail clamp for firearms is described, which is operated by means of an adjusting lever and which is intended for the mounting of different accessory devices, like optical sights, laser sights, target illuminators onto different parts of a firearm, in order to guarantee the use of the firearm under different conditions at day and night.
In the US-patent application 2008/0168696 A1 devices and methods of mounting accessory devices onto a firearm are described. The devices show a rail connector and a quick-detachable device for being mounted onto a firearm. The connection shows at least one mounting rail and one fixing device for secure mounting of the connection directly onto the firearm. The quick-detachable device will then be mounted onto the mounting rail.
As for the object of this patent application, depending on the adjustment, the full clamping force takes effect without interposed spring element. Because of its cylindrical form, the yoke in the clamping system is not able to serve as a stop bar for the reception of heavy recoil as there is only partial contact in the transversal grooves of the Picatinny-rail, but no full contact.
In the US-patent application 2008/0178511 A1 devices and methods of mounting accessory devices onto a firearm are described, too.
A stepless adjustment of the lever is not possible. For adjusting the clamping force of the locking lever, the lever with jaw and yoke has to be shifted counter to the spring force until the nut is exposed. This results in the fact that once the lever with jaw and yoke is shifted counter to the spring force, unintentional adjustment is possible when not mounted onto the Picatinny-rail. Moreover the yoke is not permanently installed in the body. When used on semi-automatic and on automatic rifles the device is not only shifted forward because of the recoil, but alternately also undergoes a backward impulse, when the bolt moves rapidly forward. Thus relative motions between yoke and body can occur. This can result in damages to the body and to the Picatinny-rail as well as associated inaccuracies cannot to be excluded when re-mounting.
In the German patent application 10 2004 008 211 A1 a mounting device for firearms with one clamping device, one toggle lever assembly and two spring assemblies is described.
The gripping force of the lever is not adjustable. It is obtained by a spring assembly that is put under pressure when closing the lever. The stop is flange mounted only and does not pass through the mount base.
In the US-patent application 2006/0117636 A1 an assembly and a method are described, which enable to fix a coupling device onto an auxiliary device and to effectively use it for fixing an auxiliary device onto a dovetail rail.
Indeed the gripping force of the lever can be adjusted, but not steplessly. For adjusting, a screw has to be demounted what includes the risk of a loss. A safety against unintentional opening is not described.
Accordingly, what is needed is a clamping system for mounting accessory devices onto a rail system such as a Picatinny-rail, which clamping system is characterized in that it comprises at least one body which is passed through by a cross bolt or a cross screw and wherein the cross bolt or cross screw has a stop bar which engages in a cross slot when mounted to the rail.